Broadalbin council selects park's bond option

Saturday, July 12, 2014 - Updated: 4:08 AM

BROADALBIN -- At a town board meeting Tuesday, Supervisor Thomas Christopher said the board voted to start the funding process to build the park by selecting a bond option.

Christopher said officials have to wait 30 days for a permit of referendum in order to receive a loan from the bank.

"Within the 30 day period, we will set ourselves up for the bond payment," he said. "They are well within the realm of what the youth commission can afford."

The town board is the lead agency on the project.

At a meeting last month, Christopher said the site is the town's property and it is the town's responsibility to borrow the money.

However, Christopher said the commission is making payments on the loan, and he wanted to review the numbers before making a final decision.

Christopher said between the budgets of the town and village youth commission, and money raised at various fundraisers, he is confident the commission can afford the payments.

"With that combination of money, they will easily make an annual payment," Christopher said.

The total cost of the park is estimated at $1.2 million.

Town officials were awarded a $500,000 grant last year from the state, and the municipality is responsible for matching the grant.

Youth commission member Keith Buchanan said the group continues to fundraise for the construction of the park.

The commission is hosting its third annual "Junk-in-the-Trunk" flea market event July 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Broadalbin-Perth High School parking lot.

Buchanan said vendors are invited to purchase lots and set up their crafts, merchandise or junk to sell.

Also, he said once the park is completed, there is an opportunity to sell large advertisements along the park's fence.

"We already have verbal commitments with businesses to do that," he said.

Project engineer and commission member Travis Mitchell said his company, Environmental Design Partnership, is in the process of finalizing design plans. Once completed, Mitchell said he will meet with members to ensure plans are copacetic.

He said the next step is to send the schematics and bid documents to the state Department of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation, for its approval.

"They need to review them before it goes out to bid because they are funding the project," Mitchell said.

The proposed park includes two soccer fields, a baseball field, a couple of softball fields, a basketball court, a playground and pavilion.

Christopher said the town councilmen will begin discussing sending the project out to bid at the next meeting.

Both Christopher and Mitchell foresee the entire project coming to fruition by spring 2016. They hope construction will start this fall.

Christopher said he has received few negative comments about the park from residents.

He believes the park will draw in revenue for the town.

"The youth commission has quite a few plans," Christopher said. "Running tournaments will draw in people from out of town, and hopefully they will stop for gas and in restaurants ... there is always some hope of economic development."